The Wear-Dated Brand & Memory Lane...

Time for a trip down memory lane for the Wear-Dated brand...

I mentioned in Meet C.B. Whittemore that I track mentions of Wear-Dated. Even though I no longer have any association with the brand, I really enjoy capturing these now elusive digital signs of Wear-Dated's earlier days - many of which remind me of my early days at then Monsanto's New York City offices located at 1460 Broadway when I worked on Wear-Dated in the Acrilan acrylic fiber division. I'd visit with my boss, Gary Petersen, and he would regale me with stories of Wear-Dated campaigns and programs...

In these latest mentions to have come through my inbox, do note the logo. The large "A" at the bottom refers to Monsanto's Acrilan acrylic fiber.

These two women in the image on the left appeared in a 1968 advertisement.

You'll love this site with page 16 from the 1971 Sears Catalog: Ladieswear... Be sure to check out each image and read the captions.

Note the third image of two women wearing Acrilan acrylic fiber knit dresses; the Wear-Dated logo barely peaks through at the bottom. Do you recognize the model on the left?

This next image of a man smiling in front of a schoolbus is from 1964. It was listed on eBay as "1964 Wear Dated Co Vintage Ad Smiling Man,School BUS" in January 2010. It's no longer available...

The copy on this ad with bold striped knit shirts reads:

"Wear-Dated stripes are guaranteed. You have nothing to lose but your inhibitions.

These Wonderknit Lord Blair knit shirts are 100% Acrilan acrylic fiber, the richest of wash-and-wear. And they're Wear-Dated: unconditionally guaranteed for one year's normal wear. Replacement or refund by Chemstrand - read the Wear-Dated tag. See them in living color at fine stores everywhere. Long and short sleeves. Styles for boys, from $3.50. For men, from $5.00. Chemstrand, N.Y. 1, a Division of Monsanto Chemical Company, makes Acrilan acrylic fiber. The shirts are by Lord Blair.

Trust the Big Red "A." Buy when you see this tag."

In this next image, note that the Wear-Dated logo features a "C" [I assume for Chemstrand] rather than the "A" featured above. I came across this listing in January 2010, this time on Etsy where the garment is still available for purchase.


Here is a link to the full listing: VINTAGE 1960'S MOD SLEEVELESS TOP NWT SIZE by sewingmachinegirl. "When originally sold the top was Wear Dated- which guaranteed it for one years full normal wear! A wonderful genuine vintage top for this summer ! ..." It is made of nylon fiber.

My last find brings Wear-Dated back to carpet with two 1991 commercials for Wear-Dated carpet with stainblocker...

Per the description, they were aired on a local Los Angeles station KCOP-TV in February 1992.


1991 Wear-Dated Carpet With Stain Blocker Commercials
Uploaded by VSNHeats. - Classic TV and last night's shows, online.

That's it for now. I'm all caught up on my Wear-Dated brand historic mentions.

Until next time!

PS: For more on this subject, check out Signs Of Another Brand Trail: Wear Dated, Wear-Dated Brand Evolution and Creation Stories.

In The Market For Carpet? We'd Like To Help.

The Shining carpet art installation

originally uploaded by Happy Sleepy.

If you're reading this blog post, there's a very good chance you're in the market for carpet. Maybe you're ready to buy carpet? Or simply searching for information about carpet. We'd like to help.

According to a 10/15/2008 MediaPost article titled Karastan: Building Share Of Voice In A Recession, "every time a consumer shops for flooring, it's like the first time. Even if they've made a significant flooring purchase in the last five years, they need to learn about it all over again. And the place they want to do that is on the Web."

Not surprising -- the web is where I turn to for information. Is it the same for you?

But it's also daunting as flooring and carpet aren't always the easiest to connect with online or offline.

For that reason, we thought we should remind you that, well... we're here. As you're looking for that perfect color, just the right style and the price that matches your budget, Wear-Dated has tools and tricks to help you find exactly what you're looking for, and help you make carpet buying decisions. We even have advice to help you care for your carpet after you've made your choice.

Here's more specifically what we have available:

FIND CARPET - Here, you can peruse thousands of styles and colors. We have everything from shag to loop, so you can narrow your choices down to specifics or broaden them to include everything that might be a possibility.

DESIGN A ROOM - Let's say that you've narrowed it down to your top three options. Now you want to see what each of them actually looks like on a floor. Pick a living room, bedroom, dining room or foyer and view it with your favorite carpet made with Wear-Dated carpet fiber. It's easy and far less expensive than trying all three options at home.

ESTIMATING CARPET - We know you want to visit your local retail store already prepared. Just measure the room you'd like to carpet, then enter your calculations here. We'll crunch the numbers so that you have a better idea what to expect when you make a purchase.

CARING FOR STAINS - You're careful, but stains do happen. Use this handy-dandy reference guide to remove nearly all unwanted stains from your carpet. We also recommend the Carpet and Rug Institute's Spot Solver.

NEWS & UPDATES - All carpet, all the time, delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe via email or RSS.

Happy Exploring! If you have questions, please let me know.

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The Wear-Dated Carpet Buying Sheet

We've just published what I consider to be a really valuable document to refer to when you buy carpet. It's the Wear-Dated Carpet Buying Sheet and consists of tips, advice and questions to ask when you are ready to purchase carpet. The goal of it: to ensure that you have the best overall experience possible with carpet.

The Wear-Dated Carpet Buying Sheet came about as Annette and I discussed carpet complaints and what types of complaints might be preventable. Many were. And consumers told us that they wished they had known before they had problems what they should have been doing.

After all, carpet represents a major purchase - like a car or a major appliance. But, unlike those other major purchases, it doesn't come with a comparable instruction manual. Wouldn't you want to know ahead of time what is important for carpet care and carpet maintenance and carpet warranty compliance? I would.

That's how the Wear-Dated Carpet Buying Sheet came about. Tips, advice and suggested questions to ask your retailer before you leave the store.

For example, warranties.

Did you know that carpet often carries multiple warranties? From the retailer, the carpet manufacturer and – for better quality carpet – from the fiber manufacturer. [Note: Wear-Dated is a carpet fiber and we offer a warranty on carpet made with Wear-Dated carpet fiber.] The different warranties may differ one from the other in their requirements. They may also be affected by the carpet pad or cushion you purchase. Best to know ahead of time.

The best time to determine which warranties apply is at purchase, by asking the retailer and noting details from the back of the carpet sample.

And, how best to maintain carpet.

Carpet must be vacuumed regularly [at least twice per week] and professionally cleaned every 18 to 24 months. But, did you know that certain styles of carpet [e.g., shag or some loops] prefer a suction-only vacuum? Proper maintenance ensures that carpet retains its beauty over time. How it is done will also affect a carpet owner’s warranty. Best to know ahead of time.

I grew up considering ‘vacuuming’ a generic activity. Actually, until recently I thought that. I've learned though - from spending time with Annette Smith and getting involved in the Wear-Dated website - that it isn't!.. Vacuums have become more specialized, and their power greater. And which vacuum you use matters for your carpet. [Hint: beware of beater bars...]

Another important piece of advice: keep your purchase receipts. You may need them.

The Wear-Dated Carpet Buying Sheet includes these and other valuable tips. It can be downloaded from the Wear-Dated website.

If you see anything missing, please let me know.

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The Carpetology Blog - Now on Alltop!

Exciting News for Wear-Dated and The Carpetology Blog! We have recently been added to Alltop.

Alltop describes itself as an “online magazine rack” of popular topics. As with a magazine rack, you can browse through a variety of topics [i.e., blog feeds] and explore the ones that interest you in more depth. It's a pretty neat concept, and an extremely efficient one for exploring the many topics about which people write.

It does so by aggregating RSS feeds from popular resources. As Alltop explains on its About page, to help you "explore your passions by collecting stories from “all the top” sites on the web [... and then groups] these collections — “aggregations” — into individual Alltop sites based on topics such as environment, photography, science, Muslim, celebrity gossip, military, fashion, gaming, sports, politics, automobiles, and Macintosh. At each Alltop site, [it] displays the headlines of the latest stories from dozens of sites and blogs."

Flooring The Consumer can be found on the page created for all of the top marketing news.

And, now, The Carpetology Blog is part of all of the top corporate blog news listed under Wear-Dated.

I'm so excited. And, so very proud!

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Groundswell Reviews & Carpetology Testimonials - Thank You!

You may know that Wear-Dated entered this blog into the 2008 Forrester Groundswell Awards. It was intense putting together My Forrester Groundswell Awards Submission for the Talking category... But, did I ever learn a lot from the process!

On October 29, 2008, Forrester announced the results in 2008 Forrester Groundswell Awards Winners.... No, we didn't win the top spot in the Talking category. However, we did win.

We won because our entry generated the most fantastic reviews and testimonials for The Carpetology Blog from you that I could ever hope for - in my wildest dreams! In other words, we won together.

Thank you!

I have recaptured them here - all 14 of them - to celebrate what we accomplished together.

Excellent Blog - Reviewed October 23, 2008 by BloggingMom from Raleigh, NC

I found this Carpet blog on YouTube and found it very helpful and informative. I used the carpet cleaning information right away. Thanks for the help!

A winner! - Reviewed September 19, 2008 by lvpfussbudget from Lexington, KY

This site is full of everything carpet and does an excellent job of keeping all readers up-to-the-minute within the industry. I love that it is written from women to women, but is still pertinent to men as well. The writers are intelligent and engaging. Very well done!

Educational & Entertaining - Reviewed September 19, 2008 by CarpetGirl from Indiana

It's educational and entertaining. A great source for all things relating to carpet.

inspiring! - Reviewed September 19, 2008 by carpetqueen

great blog!informative, humorous, charming, creatively inspiring.

Lead me thru the hype - Reviewed September 18, 2008 by challenged

So often in a blog or web information site the vision is narrow. In a industry that has a vast selection process. Products that look the same but truly perform differently. It serves the consumer and the trade well to receive inspiration and direction from professionals that look outside of the simple interest of their product. The trade recognizes performance, however very few are able to address more than one section (theirs) of the industry. Great Job women of Wear-Dated. You have help complete the picture for consumers and trade professionals.

WOWd - Reviewed September 5, 2008 by softy from Dalton, GA

I antipate every new blog.It is exciting and inspirationalit is clever, fun, and educational
It is exceptional for the purpose of soft floor
And it is never a snore
Keep up the great efforts

Fantastic - Reviewed September 3, 2008 by Surfincow from Murrieta, CA

The Women of Wear-Dated write a fantastic blog with information that is helpful to both the retailer and the buyer. I learn something from every blog that I read. Keep it up ladies!

Never predictable! - Reviewed September 2, 2008 by SallyK from NH

Having been a part of this industry for over 32 years, I absolutely LOVE how this blog ALWAYS piques my interest by being totally fascinating as well as unpredictable - whether I'm reading about a gym that could have done better listening to customers or an Elvis festival with its own unique efforts at brand building or the latest design trends complete with a photo of the hot pink display carpeting - this blog is fun, educational and inspiring! Thank you Ms. Whittemore and your team at WD for teaching an old dog some new tricks!

The Dean - Reviewed September 2, 2008 by Cynic from Miami, Fl

Ms. Whittemore's advice and insights have lifted her to be the voice and Dean of the industry.She is the one person that consumers and industry wags alike look up to and trust. A remarkable blog and a remarkable woman.

Carpeting, I mean marketing genius - Reviewed August 21, 2008 by DeDe from Kinnelon NJ

Christine is a marekting maven to the nth degree. I have learned more about the consumer experience and how everything around us is trend related. It not only makes me want to go shopping for new carpeting but it also makes me aware of carpeting and flooring no matter the venue! Kudos!

Praise for Carpetology - Reviewed August 21, 2008 by Shannon from Denver, CO

Carpetology does a fantastic job of giving consumers helpful, useful and relevant information regarding the carpet industry. It's a great place to get design ideas, the latest styles and colors and general advice!

Reviewed August 21, 2008 by Shirley from Berwyn, PA

My review of the carpetogly site is rated high because, not only did I learn much but I was directed to another site called Wear-Dated.com which had more knowledge about carpet construction, fibers and maintenence than I knew existed. I'm much more confident now to shop for carpet as well as assure of the colors I want

Voice of the Customer - Reviewed August 21, 2008 by armymom from Atlanta, GA

This case study in particular and the Carpetology blog in general does an excellent job of appealing the consumer....the female consumer. A refreshing change of pace to see a group who understands the need to speak/market to women in a unique way....they obviously understand, appreciate and celebrate their target audience!

impactful - Reviewed August 19, 2008 by BeachBum from Orange Beach AL

Powerful and intelligent women impacting the future and success of the Wear-Dated Carpet Fiber brand by educating consumers in the most current and relevant manner

------------------

From the very bottom of my heart, Thank You!

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A Foot's Perspective - Episode 16: The Wear-Dated Office

Today's episode of A Foot's Perspective comes from the Wear-Dated and Ultron office in Kennesaw, GA.

What's most wonderful about visiting our office it that it's all about carpet and carpet style ideas... The ideas range from carpet concept samples and new carpet introductions, to carpet on the floors, carpet on the walls, and the building blocks of carpet as art.

As you enter through our main doors [these are glass so you can view what lies beyond], you come face-to-face with this dramatic display pictured to the right. It's a celebration of color and yarn, surrounded by residential and commercial carpet samples [see photos below].

[By the way, Ann Hurley regularly updates this entry display to reflect the latest in color trends and product concept ideas.]

As I mentioned, this display immediately faces the front entry double doors. To the right side, you find the Ultron commercial carpet style wall and to the left, the Wear-Dated residential carpet style wall.

On the floors, we showcase a wide variety of wonderful carpet styles and patterns.

[The Wear-Dated side]
Even on the walls we feature carpet!

You'll notice artwork created completely with carpet as well as framed pieces celebrating the winning concepts submitted to our yearly Doc Award Competition.

Have you heard about it? The 2008 Doc Award Competition is underway right now. We've named the judges and now we're eagerly awaiting to hear about the results.

The story behind the Doc Award Competition is a fascinating one that I thought I would share with you here...

The Doc Award Competition is named after Robert F. Docherty, also known as “Doc.” He spent most of his 30-year career at Solutia focusing on the contract interior design market. He was a true pioneer in that he was among the first to recognize the importance of interior designers and went about establishing relationships with professional associations such as ASID and IIDA. This was unheard of at the time.

[The Ultron side]

He also pioneered the use of carpet in education and healthcare, and funded research that resulted in the first use of carpet in patient care areas.

Imagine doing all of this starting back in the 1960s.

The Doc Award Competition was established in 1988 to "recognize outstanding achievement in contract design." It takes place on an annual basis with selection made by an independent jury of recognized architecture and design professionals and "honors superior achievement in contract projects that orchestrate color, space, form, function and materials with consummate finesse. In addition to honoring project design, the competition also honors carpet mills for outstanding achievement in product design. Carpet products are judged based on originality of design, overall aesthetic, pricing and usability in the contract environment."

I'm in awe every year when the results are announced.

In the meantime, please join me for this episode of A Foot's Perspective and a walk through the Wear-Dated office in Kennesaw, GA to experience how we celebrate carpet.

[Subscribers, please click here to view the YouTube video.]


For the most recent episode, visit A Foot's Perspective - Episode 15: How To Remove Carpet Stains. Or you can scroll through previous blogposts with links to all previous episodes of A Foot's Perspective.

Thank you for watching [and reading!].




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Wear-Dated, Scotchgard™ Protector & Advanced Protection For Carpet

I get very excited about a product like Scotchgard™ Protector Advanced Repel Technology from 3M for improved soil resistance and spill repellency in carpet. One reason has to do with my Wear-Dated connection in that this is specifically relevant to carpet made with Wear-Dated carpet fiber.

The other reason has to do with my biggest carpet fear. You see, when I visit my mom I dread that I might mess up her carpet. She has white and very pale beige colored carpet throughout her house. A spill or a stain guarantees me a visual reminder for years to come. Not to mention verbal reminders...

That's where spill repellency comes into play. It means that the individual fibers in a carpet are less likely to absorb the liquids in a spill. That then means that it's easier to clean up a spill, and a lot less likely that the spill will create a stain.

Some background.

As described in Wear-Dated & Scotchgard™ Protector on the Wear-Dated website, Wear-Dated® announced a strategic branding initiative with Mohawk and Scotchgard™ Protector from 3M in December 2005.

Essentially, all Wear Dated® Carpet Fiber styles from Mohawk Industries feature Scotchgard™ Protector from 3M. The result: advanced protection for carpet.

[And less guilt when I visit my Mom!]

Here's how the process works [you can also read Scotchgard™ Protector's description of Advanced Repel Technology] as we describe it on the Wear-Dated website:

A unique patented process applies Scotchgard™ Protector Advanced Repel Technology in such a way that it simultaneously attaches both the soil protector and stain blocker to each individual fiber giving advanced deep down protection. This process provides better and more even penetration from the tip of the fiber to the bottom (the advanced deep down protection.)
Soil resistance occurs because the protective treatment surrounds each individual fiber with an invisible shield against dirt and soil. Dirt does not readily adhere to the carpet fibers and it vacuums up more easily. As mentioned above, the improved repellency provides for stain resistance from the most common food and beverage spills, so stains clean up more easily.

Annette, though, strongly recommends that you not forget to vacuum regularly [i.e., at least twice per week; more frequently in high traffic areas; for shag carpet, be sure to use suction only!] to remove loose soil.

Here is a link to the Scotchgard Protector Advanced Repel Technology brochure from 3M.

Another benefit from both consumer and carpet perspectives has to do with Warranties.

All Mohawk carpet made with Wear-Dated carpet fiber features Scotchgard™ Protector Advanced Repel Technology. Those carpet products feature a limited ten year stain and soil resistance warranty [vs. a full seven year stain and soil resistance warranty].

That means an additional three years of peace-of-mind.

Finally, you can't beat the stain support that the Scotchgard Service Center provides. With two decades of experience handling stain and soil inquiries and amazing knowledge, the service center folks offer live assistance to help consumers figure out how best to remove stains. And, if that approach doesn't work and a claim is opened - based on a stain covered by the warranty [i.e., it's caused by common food and beverages] - a technician will be dispatched out to demonstrate cleanability.

There's a reason that 3M's Scotchgard brand ranks as a highly trusted brand with consumers with 99% brand awareness [and 96% brand awareness among US Women 25-64 years old based on a 2006 survey].

All carpet from Mohawk - Wunda Weve and Horizon - and Karastan made with Wear-Dated carpet fiber features 3M Scotchgard Protector Advanced Repel Technology.

Ever since that December 2005 announcement about our strategic brand alliance, we've been thrilled to pieces about the connection with 3M Scotchgard. And, even more so now.

I hope you are, too.



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Color Folio 2008: A Field Guide to Color Around The World Recap

Our 2008 Color Forecast, Color Folio 2008 - A Field Guide to Color - includes two parts. One is the Color Around The World series, offering a taste of the culture of color, which we've just completed. The other is inspired by John J. Audubon's work.

I thought it would be helpful to recap all of the elements of Color Folio 2008 here, for easy reference.

Color Around The World reviewed six colors here on The Carpetology Blog:

+ Red Around The World,
+ Green Around The World,
+ White Around The World,
+ Blue Around The World,
+ Yellow Around The World
+ Black Around The World

After all, one color may have multiple associations depending on its use in a particular country and culture. As an example, white is a symbol of purity and innocence in the U.S., and of mourning in some African countries. Each color family is examined for cultural associations enriching the specifier’s understanding of color application in today’s diverse business environment.

In Color Folio 2008 - A Field Guide To Color [in Flooring The Consumer], we include information relating to the Audubon-inspired part of the forecast, as well as some color trends.

You see, John J. Audubon's paintings inspired us. Especially when we discovered how relevant the beautiful color combinations of Audubon’s birds were for our forecast, and for the way in which we apply color to interior spaces today.

Did you know that Audubon produced more than 450 plates of beautiful birds? For many at the time, Audubon’s paintings were the first glimpse of the wild. One French art critic recalled his works and said they brought to Europe a fresh poetic vision of America in all its wild abundance! Nature offers a spectacular vision of color with countless nuances and shades of every hue. This Audubon inspired vision of nature with its intriguing color combinations is relevant today and it inspired our 2008 palette which is a bit more conservative and slightly more complex than in previous years.

You can view a video clip that shows Audubon's birds in conjunction with color trends from the Wear-Dated website.

Read how you can apply some of these trends in Color and The Retail Experience.

And, be on the lookout at the end of October 2008 for Fabulous Floors' Fabulous Find: Color...

If you'd like to learn more about John J. Audubon, here is a 2008 Color Folio Resource List we developed.



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Fabulous Floors & Fabulous Carpet Styles!

Cover Summer 2008 issue courtesy of Fabulous Floors Magazine.

There aren't many consumer magazines that focus fully on flooring. However, there is one - Fabulous Floors - and it truly celebrates floors of all kinds in the most visual and inspiring of ways.

Per the website, Fabulous Floors Magazine is "the first consumer magazine devoted solely to flooring styles as a key element in home décor."

Sonna Calandrino, the publisher, exudes deep passion for the magazine, flooring and elevating the flooring and carpet experience for consumers. It comes through when you talk with her and as you read the magazine.

I featured Sonna and her sister Lisbeth Calandrino, director of sales & consumer research for Fabulous Floors Magazine, in a post titled "What Consumers Really Think". You see, they both spend a great deal of time in the marketplace, observing what's happening from a consumer perspective. That helps them recognize how and which products add value and beauty to a consumer's home. In my mind, that's what makes the magazine so relevant.

The most recent issue - Summer 2008 - of Fabulous Floors Magazine is no exception. It is filled with gems of all kinds. Design and color gems as well as product gems.

To make my point, I'll highlight some of the fabulous carpet styles featuring Wear-Dated carpet fiber from the issue [the non-Wear-Dated ones are beautiful, too]. They are all part of an article, written by Lisbeth Calandrino, titled "In the mood... for something hopelessly romantic? How does music make you feel?" that discusses carpet style trends.

[It reminds me of the imagery Greg Payne from Tuftex used in Carpet Exudes Sweet Emotion...]

Page 37 includes a room scene insert with Cambridge Shores. This is a thick, dense Karastan texture made with Wear-Dated DuraSoft carpet fiber and available in 40 colors.

Page 38 shows off a room scene insert with National Legacy, a pattern loop from Karastan, also made with Wear-Dated DuraSoft carpet fiber. Look for 20 colors in that carpet style.

Page 40 has two products:

+ Fabrica's Shandur, a loop pattern available in 17 colors. The carpet catalog describes it as follows: "This unique product reflects the terrain and elevation of the Himalayas. The colors vary in intensity, creating uneven variegated streaks throughout."

+ Karastan's Intriga II is a sophisticated Wear-Dated DuraSoft pin-dot carpet fiber pattern in 32 colors.

There's another gem in this issue, but I'll address it in a separate blogpost.

The Summer 2008 issue of Fabulous Floors Magazine is available on newsstands at major booksellers - like Barnes & Noble, Hastings, Books A Million - now.


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A Foot's Perspective - Episode 10

Episode 10 of A Foot's Perspective celebrates one of my very favorite carpet styles - Millennium Nouveau by Wunda Weve - in the most glorious color possible: Gerber Daisy.

It just so happens that I had the luxury of having Millennium Nouveau underfoot the week of July 21, 2008 when I spent the entire week in Nashville, TN. The reason? Carpet One Floor & Home and Flooring America/Flooring Canada's summer conventions.

Millennium Nouveau in Gerber Daisy energized me. It also inspired me to record and share this episode of A Foot's Perspective with you...

First, a bit of carpet style information.

Millennium Nouveau is considered a textured loop construction. It's a loop [although not totally a level loop]. It consists entirely of loops, but the unevenness of the loops creates a textured look and feel.

Gerber Daisy may not be the color you decide to surround yourself with, however it is a color with character. Millennium Nouveau comes in a range of 60 colors -- all equally vibrant. For someone who loves color as much as I do, the color line is refreshingly intense.

And, yes, it is made with Wear-Dated carpet fiber.

Possibly the most fun aspect of having spent several days with Millennium Nouveau in Gerber Daisy pink underfoot was being so perfectly coordinated with the Wear-Dated By The Foot marketing campaign [if you haven't already, please read Marianne's post about "Feet Appreciate Beauty"]!

It made for some very fun conversations with convention-goers, and terrific foot photo opportunities [do check out my Carpet One Flickr set].

In the meantime, I proudly share with you Episode 10 of A Foot's Perspective from the Wear-Dated booth at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center in Nashville, TN.

[Subscribers, please click on this link to view the video on YouTube.]


For the most recent episode from NeoCon, click A Foot's Perspective - Episode 9. Or you can also scroll through previous blogposts with links to all previous episodes of A Foot's Perspective.

Thank you for watching!





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Before You Buy Carpet, Download This Show Me Sheet

Please, before you buy carpet, do download the Wear-Dated Carpet Fiber Show Me Sheet!

Consumers, designers and retailers have told us that it's one of the most valuable documents they've encountered for organizing carpet buying thoughts.

Although we refer and link to it from several different locations on the Wear-Dated website, I'd like to show it to you in detail here on The Carpetology Blog. [If you remember, Elizabeth used the Show Me Sheet to 'focus her thoughts' in The Carpetology Guide to Buying Carpet - Step 3.]

What I like most about the Wear-Dated Carpet Fiber Show Me Sheet is its simplicity and thoroughness. Its purpose is to organize your thoughts around what to look for in carpet and carpet styles to best suit your lifestyle and design preferences - before you walk into a store. So that when you do enter a store, you have better control over the conversation with your salesperson and the choices available.

From the simplicity perspective, it consists of a checklist where you can select:
+ which rooms you plan to carpet
+ how you live
+ who makes up your family [i.e., pets and/or people]
+ what you plan to do on the carpet
+ which mood you hope to achieve
+ what your existing decor consists of

You can then detail which colors you already have in your room [it encourages you to bring swatches or paint chips with you to the store] and which carpet colors to consider. You can also add any relevant notes.

By the way, if you're starting fresh, you might bring in a pattern or piece of artwork to use as the basis for a color palette to work from [see Color and The Retail Experience].

On the Wear-Dated website, you can find Wear-Dated Carpet Fiber Show Me Sheet in the Newsroom document library; in Plan & Design in the Carpet Style & Lifestyle section and in the results page when you Find a Retailer to Buy Carpet from.

I hope you download the Show Me Sheet before you buy carpet. And, do let me know how it works for you.



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About Us: What Is Wear-Dated?

I recently realized something. That I haven't really explained what Wear-Dated is and what it represents.

I realized it thanks to a 'Get To The Point' article from MarketingProfs titled "Blogging for Dollars." Not that any of us at The Carpetology Blog are actually blogging for dollars. It goes way beyond that.

We blog to showcase the better, softer, more fashionable and inspiring side of carpet. We blog to share information about what matters in carpet -- when you're exploring what's available, have decided to purchase a carpet style and then want to care for it.

You see, I wish the whole carpet buying process were at lot more fun and fashionable. I wish carpet were showcased in as exciting an environment and context as Brighton accessories or Hermes scarves or Zappos shoes!

That's why I blog here at The Carpetology Blog. To bring you up-close-and-personal to the latest carpet styles, to offer you resources for more information - including from the Wear-Dated website - and to make sense out of purchasing and caring for carpet.

I *hope* that when you explore carpet choices in retail stores that you'll want to see what's available with Wear-Dated carpet fiber. But, I also know that first and foremost you need to find the perfect carpet color and style before deciding whether to purchase branded or unbranded carpet fiber.

Getting back to 'Blogging for Dollars.' It's based on a post by Michael Martine from Remarkablogger titled "The 5 Elements Every Business Blog Must Have" where he says that a business blog must include "clear basic business info, highly visible and functional contact page, highly visible services/products pages, a killer about page, highly visible RSS and email subscription area." In other words, the basics must be covered.

So let me cover the basics.

Wear-Dated is Solutia's brand and warranty to the consumer on carpet made with our fiber. Solutia makes nylon 6,6 carpet fiber, the durable carpet fiber. Solutia is based out of St. Louis, MO. Wear-Dated is based out of Kennesaw, GA, close to Dalton, GA, the carpet capital of the world.

We don't sell anything directly to consumers. The fiber we make goes to carpet mills [like Mohawk, Karastan, Fabrica, Gulistan, Royalty and Tuftex] to be transformed into carpet that retailers purchase to then sell to consumers.

We test the carpet made with our fiber. It if meets our Wear-Dated construction and performance requirements [e.g., wear & soil resistance, appearance retention, and stain resistance, color & lightfastness, tuft bind, and static control] then it carries the Wear-Dated carpet fiber brand label and warranty to the consumer.

To contact us:
+ From The Carpetology Blog, you can leave a comment, or contact me directly at cbwhittemore [at] gmail.com
+ From the Wear-Dated website, you can reach us via contact us or emailing us at info [at] weardated.com
+ In the Wear-Dated website newsroom, we list media contacts, too.

Although we do showcase products, offer installation advice and care & maintenance recommendations in The Carpetology Blog, for an in-depth view of carpet styles made with Wear-Dated carpet fiber, I strongly encourage you to visit the Wear-Dated website Carpet Catalog, the Sales Assistant or the Retailer Locator. We also detail Warranty & Care information on the website, including filing a claim, a stain removal guide and general carpet care tips.

This blogpost officially addresses About Us. The Wear-Dated website also includes in the Newsroom a section titled About Wear-Dated with information explaining what is Wear-Dated, who are the People of Wear-Dated, corporate social responsibility, a Wear-Dated timeline and what's new at Wear-Dated.

Finally, subscribing.

If you check out the left sidebar of The Carpetology Blog, you'll see two subscription options: via RSS and email. We' ve also added similar subscription options for the Wear-Dated website Newsroom for any new press releases or news updates.

Please let me know if I've missed something. I'm hopeful that this tells you more About Us and gives you a better sense for What is Wear-Dated.

By the way, Shannon Bilby at FloorTalk! interviewed me about Wear-Dated [Thanks, Shannon!] so you can read more.



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A Foot's Perspective - Episode 9

Mannington's Runway Collection - Savy made with Ultron carpet fiber.

Episode 9 of A Foot's Perspective takes place in Solutia's Ultron Carpet Fiber showroom at the Chicago Merchandise Mart during the recent NeoCon.

NeoCon takes place every year in early June. This is the time when the contract divisions of carpet mills and furniture manufacturers unveil the latest collections and concepts for the corporate world.

What's important to us as consumers is that these trends trickle down to our world in one to two years - usually with lighter colors.

Clayton Miller's Cadence from the Peace Collection made with Solutia Ultron Prismatic with StainGuard carpet fiber

Here, I spend time with Ann Hurley as she describes new carpet trends relevant to the corporate side of the marketplace.

Solutia's Ultron showroom floor showcased four new introductions:

+ Mannington's Savy from the Runway Collection [pictured above]. The random starburst pattern has a shadow effect that comes from the sheared loops.

+ Clayton Miller's Cadence from the Peach Collection [to the left]. Note the handcrafted sweater quality that comes from the tufting.

North Adams from Bentley Prince Street with Solutia Ultron Prismatic carpet fiber

+ North Adams from Bentley Prince Street [see left]. Note the contrast coming from light and dark yarns, with accents of black and multicolor yarns.

+ JJ/Invision's Broken Slate from Altered Elements [see below right]. Here, you see a combination of tonal color with bright and dull luster.

As Ann points out in her comments, the carpet style or trend story has to do with contrast. Whether it is created through texture, color variation, and -the newest- luster, or a combination, contrast is the story.

JJ/Invision Broken Slate from Altered Elements from Solutia Ultron carpet fiber

In an upcoming blogpost, I'll show you more of the showroom - this time, the walls!

Meanwhile, here is an up-close-and-personal foot's perspective on new carpet introductions featuring Solutia's Ultron carpet fiber.

[Subscribers, please follow this YouTube link to view the video.]


Previous episodes can be viewed by clicking on these links:

+ A Foot's Perspective - Episode 8
+ A Foot's Perspective - Episode 7
+ A Foot's Perspective - Episode 6
+ A Foot's Perspective - Episode 5
+ A Foot's Perspective - Episode 4
+ A Foot's Perspective - Episode 3
+ A Foot's Perspective - Episode 2
+ A Foot's Perspective - Episode 1

Thanks for reading and watching!


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The New Wear-Dated Website Is Live!

We are oh-so-pleased to announce that our newly redesigned Wear-Dated website is live!

I hope you like it...

In redesigning the website, we wanted and needed the website to reflect our By The Foot campaign which is quirky, whimsical, really fun and puts the whole process of buying carpet, owning carpet and caring for carpet in a new framework. One that better reflects how women do things - like make decisions about what's going into our homes and how those decisions reflect our individual sense of style.

Next, we wanted to create a different web experience. One that is more attuned to searches that start on a search engine rather than at a specific manufacturer or brand site. One that is also easier to interact with and share with others.

In other words, we spent a great deal of time rewriting and refining our content so it provides more meaningful information as you go about learning about carpet, finding carpet and carpet retailers, and then caring for carpet.

We added printing and sharing functionality from every website page. Any page can easily be emailed or tagged via the social web [e.g., Technorati, Digg, Del.icio.us, StumbleUpon! and even Facebook].

On the home page, we feature specific Wear-Dated products. Those will vary over time and allow us to better tell the Wear-Dated story of Beauty. Comfort. Durability.

You'll also see a Newsroom for capturing all news Wear-Dated related. There, you can find press releases, learn more about the People [and Women] of Wear-Dated, discover relevant documents, see our media, be inspired by upcoming contests, promotions and newsletters, and keep up with What's New With Wear-Dated. That's right: you can subscribe, via RSS or email for updates...

From anywhere, you can search. And if you really can't find what you are looking for, please let me know so we can do something about it.

In coming posts, I will detail the website and its features.

In the meantime, please do visit the Wear-Dated site and let me know what you think. Consider registering so you can comment, rate products and retailers, and receive our upcoming newsletters.

And, if you really like the site, please consider a Digg or a Stumble!

Thank you!


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